This Week in Alaskan History: On July 15, 1741 Dutch explorer Vitus Bering and Russian explorer Aleksei Chirikov were the first Europeans to view Alaska. The Bering Sea, Bering Straight, Bering Glacier, Bering Island, and Bering Land Bridge are all named after Bering. Vitus Bering Bering, a Russian explorer of Danish descent, was the captain-commander of two expeditions that … [Read more...]